The present invention relates to a sail gathering system and more particularly a system for gathering a dropped sail along a boom which extends from a mast supported by lateral stays.
Various systems have been proposed heretofore for facilitating the furling of a mainsail on its boom when lowered from the supporting mast. A most common and very old such system is the one known as lazy jacks which typically comprise a series of branching lines extending from an intermediate point on the mast to several points along the boom. Well recognized disadvantages of the so-called lazy jack system, besides aesthetic detraction, is that the lines are deployed and creating windage and slatting during sailing and can frequently catch the ends of battens when the mainsail is being raised. Additionally, it is difficult to fold or otherwise re-arrange the sail for neatness within the tight confines of the lazy jacks. Finally, placement and securing of a sail cover is greatly complicated by the lazy jacks extending from boom to mast. Costly modification of the sail cover to accommodate is most often required.
Various systems have also been proposed in which a sail cover is somewhat deployed during the dropping of the mainsail to facilitate its being gathered. Examples of such newer systems are disclosed for in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,354,444 and 4,741,281. These systems, however, have achieved limited popularity largely because the cover panels are present and obtrusive during sailing and some of the supporting lines present problems similar to those present in the lazy jack system.
Among the several objects of the present invention are the provision of a system for gathering a sail which greatly facilitates the furling of the sail on a boom; the provision of such a system which forms a hammock-like structure for catching a sail being dropped; the provision of such a system which collapses and is unobtrusive during sailing or when the sail has been secured along the boom; the provision of such a system which is easy to operate and which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.